These are some of the exercises I had to do to rehab from knee scope. Still, after a year, I too couldn't go past 45 degrees. found some exercises called "Squat Rx" on youtube". 18 months later I can hunker. And yes, take your time getting there.

Will look for those on youtube today as we are snowed in up here in the mountains and I don't feel like digging out the truck (got it stuck this morning and walked home. HA!) Thanks!

Originally Posted by RichMahogany

Sounds like chondromalatia of the patella. I had it as a kid. I don't appear to have it now, and I squat heavy (and below parallel). Hope you can find a way to get there too!

DANG! Throwing those big words around kind of early! HA! Off to Google!

I had always thought that having knee pain while doing squats meant your posture is wrong. That's a sort of check for me - if I feel pain in my knee, then I'm probably not pushing my butt out far enough for stability. You shouldn't really be using the knees much at all to do a squat properly, right? The motion to get into squat position leads from the hips, doesn't it?

I had always thought that having knee pain while doing squats meant your posture is wrong. That's a sort of check for me - if I feel pain in my knee, then I'm probably not pushing my butt out far enough for stability. You shouldn't really be using the knees much at all to do a squat properly, right? The motion to get into squat position leads from the hips, doesn't it?

I would agree with all of this, but if your knees have problems, good form or not..it hurts

Caution! My replies may contain traces of nuts!. My posts are just my opinion based on my experience with the primal way of life, there is no assurance it will work with others in the same way.

I had always thought that having knee pain while doing squats meant your posture is wrong. That's a sort of check for me - if I feel pain in my knee, then I'm probably not pushing my butt out far enough for stability. You shouldn't really be using the knees much at all to do a squat properly, right? The motion to get into squat position leads from the hips, doesn't it?

Basically, but it depends largely on your squatting style and anthropometry. And the knees are involved regardless, it's just a matter of to what extent. Here's a great analysis of the low-bar back squat, the style I prefer (for reasons outlined therein): Starting Strength

I had always thought that having knee pain while doing squats meant your posture is wrong. That's a sort of check for me - if I feel pain in my knee, then I'm probably not pushing my butt out far enough for stability. You shouldn't really be using the knees much at all to do a squat properly, right? The motion to get into squat position leads from the hips, doesn't it?

I'm sure you are right in most cases. But some of us (me) avoided squats for years because of CW advice (from the 60's and 70's -- along with a lot of other bad advice I'm trying to undo) and my main pain, after the surgery was healed, came from very tight patellar tendons. Still a work in progress.

The weight loss you are making headway on may be the biggest ticket, but there may be some other leg exercises that your knees won't object too. You might try doing a bridge exercise or a ball bridge exercise (youtube will tell you how). These will allow you to exercise muscles around the hip and knee joints while taking some of the load off of your knees. You might also try doing a partial squat prior to any knee pain while holding on to a counter top. I think a good notion, already indicated here, is to work within your capacity to expand it.

I had always thought that having knee pain while doing squats meant your posture is wrong. That's a sort of check for me - if I feel pain in my knee, then I'm probably not pushing my butt out far enough for stability. You shouldn't really be using the knees much at all to do a squat properly, right? The motion to get into squat position leads from the hips, doesn't it?

I think this is great too! Keeping the weight in the heels (especially while pushing up from the lowest position) and keeping your toes on the ground can clean up a lot of this. Tracking the knees in the direction of the 2nd toe as the knees bend is also a good one. Knees often tend to drift towards each other... in love, maybe?

Thanks for more suggestions and support! I'll be honest, I haven't done any more squats since the first post. We got around 2' of snow up here and I've been shoveling and shoveling (aaaaannnnddd shoveling!) then fell in the parking lot at work and hurt my wrist and neck. Yes, I am a clutz!

When I get back into the swing though, it's on!

I really appreciate everyone's time and experience.

What I am taking from all this is that (despite what I was affraid of), it isn't necessarily a permanent condition and there are things I can do to get better and not just "live with it". That was my major concern!